


Old Friends, New Appearances

by moirasrosesroses



Category: Schitt's Creek
Genre: Angst, Comfort/Angst, Drunk Patrick Brewer, Husbands, M/M, Patrick Brewer loves David Rose, Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-11
Updated: 2020-12-11
Packaged: 2021-03-10 16:33:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,781
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28010196
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/moirasrosesroses/pseuds/moirasrosesroses
Summary: On a visit back to Patrick's hometown, they visit with Patrick's old high school friends getting roped into party that feels as if no one has ever left college. David has to contend with feeling very much out of place.
Relationships: Patrick Brewer/David Rose
Comments: 10
Kudos: 86
Collections: Schitt's Creek Season 7





	Old Friends, New Appearances

**Author's Note:**

  * In response to a prompt by Anonymous in the [SCSeason7](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/SCSeason7) collection. 



> **Prompt:**
> 
> 7x07 - In-Laws:  
> A few months after the wedding, Patrick and David take a trip back to Patrick’s hometown. Patrick is beyond excited to show off his new husband, so excited in fact that he doesn’t notice at first that not all of his friends are as accepting of David’s exuberant mannerisms & fashion choices. David notices though, and slowly starts to shut down while trying to change who he is to win them over. When Patrick finally notices, he is not having it.

“Are you kidding me?” Patrick laughed obnoxiously, his voice louder than usual. He picked up an uneaten wing and ate it quickly, disposing the bones in the basket. Taking a long drink of his beer, he set it down a little rougher than usual and David watched the contents slosh up on the side. 

David was having a hard time not cringing at Patrick’s odd behavior. He had always known Motivated Patrick, Tender Patrick, Loving Patrick, Earnest Patrick, Intelligent Patrick, and the sometimes Competitive Patrick, but this Patrick was one he had never seen before. He might even go as far to classify it as Annoying Jock Patrick. 

He shook the thought from his head. David knew Patrick wasn’t trying to be this way. Everyone acts different around old friends and David knew he would be doing the same thing if these were  _ his  _ friends, but Patrick’s change was just so incredibly jarring, it was hard to see him as anything else. 

David picked through his plate of fries and took another drink of his beer. Patrick had ordered beer and Brandon had ordered beer, he felt that he should probably follow suit even if it wasn’t what he actually wanted. He reasoned that a sports bar probably wouldn’t have had the best wine anyway. 

“I still can’t believe you actually went backpacking through Europe,” Patrick said with a smile. “But I saw the pictures, it looked amazing.”

“You have  _ no _ idea,” Brandon said loudly. For whatever reason, everything Brandon did made David’s skin crawl. He couldn’t quite put his finger on why though. 

“The  _ women _ ,” Brandon continued dramatically. “Oh, my god. So beautiful. So open minded.” He chef kissed at the end of his tribute to the women of Europe, clearly forgetting his intended audience. 

Patrick snorted and took a drink of his beer. “Sounds like heaven for you,” he pushed through the conversation. 

David continued poking through his fries, secretly wondering how Patrick and Brandon were ever best friends in high school and through college. They seemed so opposite on the surface. He awkwardly glanced around the room, observing the various kinds of people who would eat wings at 2:00pm on a Saturday. Not really David’s crowd. In fact, he was beginning to feel incredibly self-conscious even just sitting at the table. It was a feeling he hadn’t felt since New York and it was unwelcome at best. 

“So what have you been up to, man?” Brandon asked, good-naturedly. 

Patrick smiled slightly, happy to finally get a word in about himself. “Well, you know, I invested in a new business, got married to the only one for me,” Patrick reached out and rubbed David’s back gently. Welcoming the unexpected soft touch, David’s judgment of Annoying Jock Patrick was softening. 

“You want another?” Patrick asked, pointing to Brandon’s beer. Brandon nodded and glanced at David who decided that he might as well drink if he was going to be stuck here for the foreseeable future. A pang of worry hit him as he realized that meant that Patrick would be leaving him alone with Brandon when they had barely spoken more than three words to each other. He stood from the stool and walked a few steps to follow Patrick, but suddenly an overwhelming feeling of self-consciousness came crashing back. Everyone else was in a sports jersey, or flannel, or ratty t-shirt. And that was decidedly not what he was wearing. No wonder Patrick had opted for straight-leg loose denim and a graphic t-shirt. 

David turned to sit back down, but not before catching Brandon eyeing his clothing. 

He cleared his throat and racked his brain to try and think of anything at all to say to him. The forced awkward silence was eroding any confidence he had. 

“So, David,” Brandon started. “That’s a…” he paused, “funky outfit you have there.” He took a drink of his beer, finishing it off and setting it down harshly on the counter. 

“Thank you,” was all David could think to say. He wasn’t unfamiliar with people pointing out the odder aspects of something he would wear, but he was secretly cursing himself for not dressing a little more normal. He should have known better though. Patrick had always complimented him about what he wore and how he looked, but not everyone was as accepting and nice as Patrick. And David knew that better than anyone. 

“It kinda looked like it might have been a skirt?” Brandon asked, leaning over the edge of the table to catch a glimpse of it. 

“Well, it’s Rick Owens and it’s made for men,” David defended. He glanced at Patrick who was finally walking back.  _ Please, Patrick. Save me _ , he begged internally. 

“Not sure I’d ever get the courage to wear that,” Brandon shrugged, helping himself to a glass of beer that Patrick had brought.

“David has a much more refined taste in clothing than I do,” Patrick stated as if it were a universal truth.

“And clearly not taking my advice,” David teased, putting his arm awkwardly on Patrick’s shoulder as he sat down. 

“I still can’t believe you and Rachel broke up like for real this time,” Brandon noted, upon seeing the affection between David and Patrick. “It’s hard to imagine you without her!” Brandon didn’t seem to notice the impact of those words on David as he took another drink from his glass. 

Patrick doubled down on the public display of affection and held David’s hand tightly in his own. “Well, fortunately, I found the right person for me.”

“Who knew, ya know?” Brandon asked curiously.

“Well,” David started trying to answer that question. 

“You just know when you find the person that makes you feel right,” Patrick interjected sincerely.

“I’m happy for you,” Brandon smiled and David had no reason to think he wasn’t being sincere. He had to remind himself that it probably  _ was  _ weird to see Patrick without his long-term girlfriend. This was the first time they had been able to see his friends on one of their visits to see Patrick’s parents and it wasn’t as if Patrick was an avid social media user. He was really trying to give Brandon the benefit of the doubt. 

“You guys are coming tonight?” Brandon asked. 

Patrick nodded. “It’s just a small get together, right?” 

“That’s the plan,” Brandon promised. 

* * *

“Is that what you’re wearing?” Patrick asked, eyeing David curiously. Normally, he loved that David dressed as he wanted with little regard to what anyone else thought, but David’s outfit was almost off-puttingly boring. 

“Are you wearing my jeans?” Patrick eyed. 

David shrugged. “They fit.”

“I guess,” Patrick replied slowly. “I just thought you didn’t really like my ‘mid-range denim’.”

“They fit this t-shirt better,” David said quickly, pointing to his “Don’t” shirt. He felt somehow like a fraud when all he was doing was trying to fit in with Patrick’s friends. But if he wasn’t comfortable being himself, maybe that made him a fraud. 

“Okay…” Patrick hesitated. “I’m not going to stop you.”

David took a deep breath hoping to move on from the conversation. He didn’t want to admit how out of place he had felt at lunch and that Brandon had flat-out questioned his attire. “What are we doing tonight, again?”

“Brandon just wants us to come over. His little brother, Andrew, is gonna be there,” Patrick pulled on a t-shirt and continued on. “God, I haven’t seen him since…” he trailed off. “Andrew and I were on the hockey team together.”

“I forgot you used to play hockey,” David inhaled at the thought of the violence. 

Patrick chuckled and put his arms around David’s waist. “You know, there’s a team starting up in Elmdale that I might join,” he said softly into the crook of David’s neck. 

“I guess we’ll be… considering that then,” David looked to the ceiling, trying to hide his grimace. 

“I still have my gear,” Patrick said, as if David were worried about the cost of taking on another hobby and not the physical toll of the sport. 

“Mmm!” David exclaimed. “Well, are we ready?” he squeezed Patrick’s hip. 

“Ready if you are,” Patrick kissed David tenderly. 

* * *

David cleared his throat loudly at Andrew’s ridiculously stupid joke. “Yep, what a- what a fun story,” he said in a low voice he almost didn’t recognize as his own. 

“Whoo!” Patrick bellowed from the other side of the room. David wasn’t sure what Patrick was “whoo”ing about it, but whatever it was, he didn’t much care. Patrick had made it sound like this was just a small get-together, not a full blown garage party full of people who had never left college behind. Without thinking, he put his hand on his hip and stuck his hip out. It was a motion he made all the time and never thought twice about it until he saw Andrew staring at him curiously. 

“What?” David asked curtly.

“What’s with the…?” Andrew trailed off, mimicking one of David’s hand gestures. 

“Just-” David started, suddenly embarrassed. “Just how I talk.” He cleared his throat and glanced around looking for an escape. “It’s just the way I talk.” 

“It’s just it’s all…” Andrew gestured wildly. “You know.” 

“Mm,” David nodded sourly. “Yes, I do…”  _ Where the fuck was Patrick _ ?

“Hell, yeah!” he heard Patrick yell again. Quickly turning around he saw Patrick pump his fist at apparently making a successful shot in beer pong.

David rolled his eyes and stood back trying not to get into the mix of things. 

“David!” he yelled happily through the small crowd of people. “David!” 

David raised his eyebrows in acknowledgement but tried not to draw any more attention to himself. 

“You guys…” Patrick slurred slightly. “You guys, did I not end up with the sexiest husband?” he beckoned towards David who smiled briefly before taking a drink. 

“I don’t know, man,” Brandon joked. “I think Rebecca looks a little better in a skirt,” he beckoned towards a woman who David assumed was Brandon’s girlfriend. David couldn’t help but visibly flinch at the “skirt” jab. He knew Brandon hadn’t accepted it.

“Pfft,” Patrick scoffed. “Rebecca has nothing on him,” he hung on David’s shoulders, holding himself up. 

“Let’s maybe get you some water?” David suggested gently, rubbing Patrick’s shoulders. 

“Oh!” Brandon snickered. “Someone’s gotta take care of him.” 

Patrick waved off Brandon’s comment and followed David away from the chaos. “David, isn’t this fun?” Patrick stumbled after him. 

“So much,” David lied. Rolling his shoulders, David filled Patrick’s plastic cup from the tap. “Here, drink this,” David instructed. 

To David’s surprise, Patrick took it without hesitation and downed its contents. “I can’t believe it’s been this long since I’ve seen them,” Patrick practically gushed.

“Crazy,” David replied slowly. 

“Aren’t you having fun?” Patrick asked quickly, worry suddenly etching his face. 

David took a deep breath. “If you’re having fun, then so am I,” he said softly. He couldn’t admit to Patrick that he felt so out of place that he was practically crawling out of his skin. It was worse than the party he had been to when he first moved to Schitt’s Creek. He hadn’t known Stevie well and the way he was was just the way he was. He hadn’t felt the need to defend it. 

But here he did. 

“David,” Patrick protested. 

“I’m serious!” David defended, with a small smile he hoped would help sell his fib. He quickly scanned the room and his heart fell upon seeing Andrew with a small group of people clearly imitating a gesture he had seen David do during their conversation. He had felt this before. He didn’t need to ruin Patrick’s night with it.

Patrick swayed on his feet, but looked as if he accepted the answer. After a quick peck on the cheek, he staggered back towards Brandon. 

* * *

“How are we feeling?” David asked tentatively as Patrick finally seemed to rouse after last night’s partying. 

Patrick sat up hesitantly and held his stomach. “What did I do last night?” he asked, lifting his shirt and pressing tenderly on his abs. 

“Well, at one point, you tried so hard to catch a ping pong ball that you slammed into the edge of the table,” David said seriously. 

“Wait, what?” Patrick laughed sharply, trying as hard as he could to recall the memory. “Did I at least catch it?”

“Not even close,” David said flatly. “But you did manage to practically knock all of the cups off the table.”

“You’d think I’d remember that,” Patrick grinned. 

David shook his head. “You would think.” 

“I can’t believe how much Brandon hasn’t changed since high school,” Patrick continued undeterred. 

“I can,” David said softly, hoping that Patrick hadn’t heard him. Trying to distract from the moment, he put his hand on Patrick’s. 

Patrick peered down curiously, trying to identify what was different. “Where are your rings?” he finally asked. 

“They just didn’t go,” David said, quickly withdrawing his hand. 

Tilting his head, Patrick looked up at David with a furrowed brow. “You wear them with everything,” Patrick finally said. 

With a deep sigh, David tried to parse through what he was thinking but didn’t want to say. “It’s no big deal,” he settled on. “They just didn’t match the mid-range denim.”

Patrick glanced down at what David was wearing and noticed it was the same thing from last night: a pair of Patrick’s looser jeans and the “Don’t” shirt. “Why are you still wearing my jeans?” he asked hesitantly. 

“We got home so late last night that after I got you in your pajamas and in bed, that when I finally laid down, I didn’t want to get out of bed,” David shrugged. 

“No, I mean why were you wearing them in the first place?” Patrick pressed.

“They just fit the aesthetic,” David defended, feeling stupid that he was even trying to defend his clothing choices to the man who was so drunk the night before that he could barely stand. 

Shaking his head, Patrick held tightly to David’s hand and said earnestly, “No. You always tease me about my clothes. What is this?”

“Nothing,” David said in a low voice. Clearing his throat, he hoped that he could subtly move the conversation past this. 

“Something’s different,” Patrick said slowly. 

“Nothing is different!” David grumbled. 

“You’re even…” Patrick said. “You were talking differently last night.”  
“No,” David said simply. He grimaced at the fact that Patrick didn’t remember ramming a table, but he remembered David’s attempt to fit in.

“You weren’t putting your arm around me,” Patrick was piecing it together slowly. 

He didn’t know what else to say and instead just held Patrick’s hand. 

“David, are you-” Patrick blushed. “Did I do something? Were you embarrassed by me?”

“Well-” David started. 

Patrick sharply inhaled and stood from the bed abruptly, but wasn’t able to do it without visibly wincing. “Oh, god,” he cringed. “What happened?”

“Nothing,” David tried to calm his worried spouse.

“No, I need you to tell me,” Patrick said pointedly, his throat raw from dehydration and emotion. “What happened? Why are you acting this way?”

David blinked a few times before he could look at Patrick. “I just felt a little out of place,” he admitted quietly. 

“‘Out of place’?” 

“Well, you know, your friends are kind of…” David shrugged. “A demographic that I’ve never felt entirely comfortable being around?” 

Patrick scoffed. “I don’t want you to have to feel like you need to fit in with them,” he said flatly. “I love you for the person you are. I love everything about you. You don’t need to change for them.” 

David was taken aback.  _ He _ was the one who was changing to fit in? “Excuse me,” he said finally. “I’m not the one yelling like a feral cat at every stupid display of masculinity that  _ Brandon _ does.”

Patrick stepped back in shock. “I didn’t…” he started, reflecting on the night before. 

“Oh, yes, you did,” David countered. 

Patrick took a deep breath trying to realign his senses. “Okay, maybe I did,” he admitted finally. “But David, I never expected or wanted you to be anyone different than exactly who you are.”

“Your friends don’t seem to like it,” David wrung his hands in his lap. 

“Screw them then,” Patrick said. “And if that’s the case, I’m sorry I didn’t see it until now.” 

David sat quietly on the bed, trying not to let his tears get the better of him. He had secretly fretted all night that he hadn’t been the ideal partner for Patrick. Those familiar sensations of feeling, no,  _ knowing _ , that he never fit in had suddenly come crashing back last night. Patrick had always made all of his fears and insecurities mellow out, but last night they erupted in a way he hadn’t expected. 

“David,” Patrick said softly, resting his hands on David’s shoulder. “I don’t want anyone but you. The  _ real _ you. The you I fell in love with.”

David blinked back tears and finally stared up at Patrick. “Then why…” he trailed off, not sure how to phrase his question. 

Patrick sat down next to David, either to comfort David or because standing was painful in his hungover state, David wasn’t sure. 

“You asked me once what it would have been like if we met in high school, remember?” David asked quietly. 

Patrick nodded, remembering how David had claimed his candy raver style would have turned Patrick off to him. 

“I think we can now very safely say that our paths crossed at the right time for both of us,” David said softly. 

Patrick looked almost hurt by what David had said, but didn’t say anything. 

Sighing softly at seeing how he had hurt Patrick, he followed up with, “It’s just that your friends are the kids that bullied me and I never fit in with them.” 

“They didn’t-” Patrick almost defended, but stopped quickly. This was not the hill he was going to die on. If anything, David needed Patrick’s unconditional support as his spouse. His friends would always come as a far second to David. 

“I know it wasn’t them specifically, but you know what I mean,” David replied. 

“I think I got a little caught up with nostalgia,” Patrick squeezed David’s hand. “I didn’t like high school either, really,” he admitted, realization slowly dawning on him. “I wasn’t ever the person I wanted to be.” He sighed deeply. “Not until I met you.” 

David returned Patrick’s affection and rested his head on Patrick’s shoulder. He found it easier for him to talk if he didn’t have to look at Patrick. 

“I was good at pretty much any sport so I was just automatically accepted into the club,” Patrick continued undeterred. “And Brandon was just there for me through some tough times. I guess I felt…” Patrick mulled through what it was he actually felt towards Brandon. “I felt obligated to see him again on our visit back. And I didn’t know any other way to act except the way I used to.”

David kissed Patrick’s shoulder and continued resting his head on it, content with sitting in silence and letting Patrick work through whatever he needed to on his own terms and in his own time. 

“What did they say to you?” Patrick asked. 

David didn’t want to get into it since he wasn’t keen on remembering the evening, but at Patrick’s apologetic face, he answered, “Well, they questioned my fashion, the way I talked, you know, just me,” he shrugged. Then he said what part had really hurt him. “And I saw Andrew making fun of me,” he admitted softly.

Patrick nodded taking in the information. “Then we never have to see them again,” he said resolutely. There was no doubt in his mind who he would choose in this situation. 

“I didn’t mean that,” David said, though he was secretly relieved. He didn’t want his experiences at his in-laws’ to be always marred by visits with Patrick’s obnoxious “friends.”

“I do though,” Patrick said harshly, working himself up. “There’s no one in the world more important to me than you. If they don’t accept you then they don’t accept me.” 

David was thankful Patrick wasn’t able to see him as tears pricked his eyes. He had never felt like anyone’s first choice. 

“Okay?” Patrick glanced down at David and drew him closer in a hug. 

David nodded. He couldn’t bring himself to speak and hugged Patrick tightly. 

After David had gotten his fill of affection from Patrick, he began the long process of readying himself for the day. 

Patrick took out his phone and saw that Brandon had texted him a picture of a very drunk Patrick from the night before. He cringed as he examined it. He was tempted to just ignore Brandon, but if his relationship with David had taught him anything, it’s that avoiding the problem never made it go away. 

His fingers hesitating over the keyboard, he finally pieced together what he could say so they wouldn’t have to see him again. He never wanted to make David feel that way again.

[Patrick] I think we’re going to head home a little earlier than planned. I know we were friends in high school but I think maybe I’m a little too old to be acting like that. 

As Patrick pressed ‘send’ he felt foolish that he had sent a breakup text to a friend and immediately regretted that he hadn’t even included anything about how they had treated David. 

[Brandon] Ok? Did I do something? Because you seemed to be having fun last night. Don’t let the hangover ruin it for you lol

Patrick rolled his eyes and took the opportunity to really spell it out. 

[Patrick] It’s not that. I didn’t appreciate that you and Andrew made fun of my husband and he comes first in my life.

He put a fine point on it with “my husband” and felt his stomach tangle into a knot as he saw that Brandon had read his message but wasn’t replying yet. After a few tense moments, he finally saw that Brandon was typing.

[Brandon] Guess you’ve changed. Bye.

Patrick scoffed at the response, at first hurt, but then realized he  _ had _ changed and changed for the better. He didn’t like his high school self, but he liked his current self. The person who was brave enough to leave his comfortable life, drive to an unknown town, and marry the love of his life. He was a better person now than ever before and if that meant he had changed, then so be it. 

Brandon was right, and Patrick didn’t regret it.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope I did this prompt justice. It was more difficult than I anticipated, but I hope you like it nonetheless :)


End file.
